Formatting APA Style Citations

Evans Library

FORMATTING

APA STYLE CITATIONS

stock.xchng

Formatting citations shouldn’t make you cry.

You just need to know where to start.

stock.xchng

And then remember three steps…

stock.xchng

stock.xchng

1. Know the requirements.

2. Use the tools.

3. Check your work.

Your instructor tells you which citation style to use.

Sam Range. (2010). Materials Science Professor Donald R. Sadoway removes the foil on a bottle of Champagne in his final lecture. Retrieved from: http://tech.mit.edu/V130/N60/graphics/sadowaylastlecture.html

The style manual gives you the details.

• Can purchase in a bookstore.• On reserve at the Library Service Desk:

BF76.7 .P83 2010B

• Find an excellent online tutorial on the APA website:http://www.apastyle.org/learn/tutorials/basics-tutorial.aspx

Photo: Amazon. (2014). http://www.amazon.com/Publication-Manual-American-Psychological-Association-ebook/dp/B00CPUBEBM

APA Style requires author-date style in-text citations.

Photo: American Psychological Association. (2014). The basics of APA style. Retrieved from: http://www.apastyle.org/learn/tutorials/basics-tutorial.aspx

Author Date

Author Date

Date Author

Follow the rules for number of authors and usage.

Photo: American Psychological Association. (2014). The basics of APA style. Retrieved from: http://www.apastyle.org/learn/tutorials/basics-tutorial.aspx

Usage

Authors

When in doubt, cite it – in text and in the reference list.

Always cite:• Full and partial quotations• Paraphrasing• Summaries

Don’t cite:• Your original lab results, photos, artwork, etc.• Well-known facts• Common knowledge

“

Full and partial quotations…

Verbatim sentences or passages from other authors are surrounded by quotation marks, with in-text citations following each.“

“I beheld the wretch—the miserable monster whom I had created” (Shelley, 1999).

Author Date

Quotation Marks

Citation after quotation mark

Paraphrasing…

Restatements of other people’s words or writing in your own words do not require quotation marks, but definitely require in-text citation.“

I looked at the unhappy monster that I had created (Shelley, 1999).

Author Date

No Quotation Marks

Punctuation after citation

Summaries…

Summaries of the source material in fewer words are not quoted, but are always cited in-text.“

I looked at the monster I made (Shelley, 1999).

Author Date

No Quotation Marks Punctuation after citation

Reference lists help your audience find your sources.

Follow the guidelines for formatting references.

• Center “References” (without quotes) at top of page.

• List every source you cited in the text.

• Alphabetize by primary author’s last name.

• Each citation has a 1/2” hanging indent.

• No extra space before or after lines.

• Double-space everything.

Citations contain author, date, title, and publication information.

Photo: American Psychological Association. (2014). The basics of APA style. Retrieved from: http://www.apastyle.org/learn/tutorials/basics-tutorial.aspx

Websites contain 4 items.

Miller, L. (2012, April 30). “Frankenstein” remixed. Retrieved from http://www.salon.com/2012/04/30/frankenstein_remixed_salpart/

1. Author2. Date3. Page title4. URL

Journal articles contain 7 items – online articles contain 8.

Photo: American Psychological Association. (2014). The basics of APA style. Retrieved from: http://www.apastyle.org/learn/tutorials/basics-tutorial.aspx

1. Author2. Date3. Article title4. Journal title5. Volume6. Issue (usu.)7. Pages8. DOI or URL

Most databases and Google Scholar contain citation tools.

stock.xchng

Export citations from the library catalog.

Export citations from Summon.

Export citations from databases.

Export citations from Google Scholar.

Import citations to RefWorks, then create a bibliography.

Use the style guide to check your work.

stock.xchng

Look up the right section in the table of contents.

rose petralia

READ the instructions and look at examples.

Once you know what’s expected, just follow directions.

stock.xchng

KNOW the requirements.1Check your assignment.

Clarify with your instructor.

Find the style guide in the library.

Use the TOOLS.2Cite from the library catalog.

Cite from Summon.

Cite from the databases.

Cite from Google Scholar.

Use RefWorks.

CHECK the work.3Look up your resource type in the style manual.

Don’t forget in-text citations!

Read instructions and look at examples.

Double check!

Some resources…

• lib.fit.edu• Ask a Librarian• RefWorks

• apastyle.org• owl.english.purdue.edu

Rose Petralia

Questions?

All images courtesy of rose petralia , stock.xchng, and Flickr Commons